


In the end

by PeterHaleforAlpha



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Multi, possible ending for Haven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4915915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeterHaleforAlpha/pseuds/PeterHaleforAlpha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They found a way to get rid off the Troubles once and for all but for a horrible price.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the end

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of many headcanons how I think the show could end but definitely one of the most heartbreaking and sad ones.   
> Anyone who is going to read this, I'm sorry, very sorry, but I had to bring this out of my head.

Nathan watched how Audrey hugged Duke and something twisted in Nathan’s stomach. It hit him right in this moment, the realization what they were going to do here and the inevitable output was so clear in front of his eyes, in the kind and loving gesture that Duke and Audrey were sharing. She kissed him on the cheek before she pulled away, one hand sliding down his right arm. Nathan stood totally still, waited until Duke came to him, a cocky smile on his face and Nathan would have loved to punch him, right here and now. It wasn’t the time to smile. Instead of doing this he grabbed his arm and pulled him a little away from the others.

“There _has_ to be another way,” he started at once, a desperation in his voice that he didn’t even try to hide.  

Duke shook his head, looking tired and exhausted. “We talked about this, Nate. A hundred times.”

Yes, they did and Nathan would talk about this for the hundred and first time if it meant that they would stop this nonsense. This plan was far away from acceptable but Duke was for it, Audrey after a little persuasion too and Nathan got outvoted. But he couldn’t just stand here and watch, not without trying one last time. “The risk is too high.”

“Haven is tearing itself to pieces. It doesn’t matter if the risk is too high. We have to do something!”

Nathan heard these words a thousand times and he knew that Duke was right but still – he wasn’t ready to go through with their plan. “Then let me do it,” he almost begged. He couldn’t lose Duke, not after everything they’ve been through. He joked so often about being the one to kill him but only because then he would have had the power over Duke’s death because the thought of losing his best friend was one of the most painful ones he ever experienced. He would gladly sacrifice himself if this meant that Duke and Audrey would live.

“You can’t!”

It was as simple as that. It had to be Duke. Nathan knew that only Duke could do it but he only tried desperately to find another way. Any way that didn’t mean the certain death for Duke. Any way so that they all could stay together.

“There is still a chance that I will survive.”

A very slim one. Charlotte said that it would be possible but not very likely. They wanted to ban the troubles into the void but they needed a human vessel to send them to the other side, as a kind of gateway to lead them there. Duke was the only choice because he had most of the troubles already in his body. He was the only one that could physically do it without dying too soon. Charlotte explained that the force was so strong, leading all the troubles to one body that it would rip apart most people. Duke could do it and maybe even survive this.

But Nathan knew by now what Haven meant. It meant losing and he wasn’t very hopeful that Duke would survive. “We both know that this is not true.”

Duke shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. The only thing I know is that you’ll be able to feel again and this is for me reason enough to try.” A small smile appeared on Duke’s lips, he looked even happy about it. He was facing certain death and this thought made him smile.

Nathan wished for so long to be able to feel again, to feel the wind on his face, to feel warmth and cold but especially to feel another person’s touch except Audrey’s. He wished so long for this to return but now he would gladly live his life like this forever if it meant that he could keep Duke alive. But Nathan knew it was not only about him. The whole town was infected and it got worse with every day. They needed to stop this. And Duke was their only hope.

Nathan didn’t like it, didn’t like it at all but he understood. He took a step closer, pulling Duke into a tight embrace. “Thank you.” He couldn’t remember ever saying this to Duke but he deserved it and even so much more. He had been always there, in Nathan’s darkest hours, even at times when Nathan did nothing else than push him away. Duke was always behind him, making sure that he could help and never once wanted anything in return. “And try to stay alive.”

Duke laughed quietly. “Hey, we know how I am supposed to die. This isn’t it so I will be fine.”

Nathan would love to believe that but he couldn’t in this moment. Haven always found a way to screw someone over. How many times he thought Audrey and he finally found some peace and the universe always pulled them apart again. But he didn’t want to take Duke’s hopes away. “See you soon.” He pulled him closer one last time. “And then I will feel you again,” he whispered.

Duke pulled away with a sad smile on his face and went to his position in the middle of the circle, on his way sliding his hand one last time over Audrey’s arm. He was now surrounded by Audrey, Charlotte and William.

Nathan took a step back, not turning his gaze away from Duke. If he couldn’t be standing next to him this was the second best thing to do. Even when the wind was coming up Nathan remained standing still. And then it went dark on the field. From everywhere around black spots were coming at Duke and they entered the same way as they got out not so long ago. Duke was shaking and Nathan was tried to look away but he still didn’t want to let Duke alone in this. The ground under his friend turned also black. It was a horrible sight.

Nathan had the feeling that it lasted a century although it probably were only minutes when not even seconds. One of the last black spots that went through Duke’s body into the ground was the one that came out of Nathan’s chest. He expected to feel the cold of the wind immediately but nothing came, still only numbness.

Charlotte told them that it would only work when all the troubles were on the other side and the ritual was done unless every trouble would be spit out again. That’s why it needed to be Duke because he would hold on long enough that they could get to the ending.

 

Suddenly it was all quiet again. The wind was gone, the sun came out. It was over and all peaceful wouldn’t Nathan stare right in horrified eyes, full of pain and misery. “Duke!” He rushed forwards to his friend, noticing that Audrey was doing the same. Duke was falling to the ground, probably too weak to hold himself up on his legs.

Nathan was too late to catch him but dropped right beside him onto the grass a second later. “Duke!”

Duke wasn’t reacting in any way. His eyes were still open but he didn’t seem able to focus at all. Immediately Nathan laid his hand on Duke’s cheek and turned his face towards him. The feeling of the warm skin under his fingers was now only a stab to his heart. “Come on, Duke,” he pleaded desperately, trying to ignore that the skin went colder with any second as if life was draining out of Duke. And then he blinked, looking at Nathan for a brief second, regret in his eyes before he lost himself again. Nathan swallowed, trying to think of anything to say, even if he wasn’t sure if Duke would hear him at all. “You can’t,” he started but stopped again immediately as he realized something. His hands caressed Duke’s cheek and his tattoo was exposed on his arm. From Duke’s position it would look like the exact same situation as in the vision. “No!” He pulled his arm away as if he was burned, hiding it behind his back, too far away for Duke to see.

Now he used the other hand to get a reaction out of Duke, shaking him, caressing him but his eyes remained an empty vessel.

“Nathan,” Audrey’s soft voice rang to his ear. “He is already gone.” Nathan could hear the tears in her voice. He didn’t need to look up to see them.

He shook his head, didn’t want to believe it. Duke said he would be okay. This couldn’t be true. He clinched to his shirt with one hand while the other was still sliding over his face. In contrast to the last time he was able to feel where he mostly used his own body to comprehend, he now used Duke’s. If Nathan was honest to himself Duke’s touch was the one Nathan had looked forward to the most. He remembered how it was to touch Duke. His skin was always a little rough from the sea salt but now it felt so soft but cold. Cold was never anything that Nathan compared to Duke. He was always warm, so warm and now there was nothing left of that. A cold body was lying in front of him and Nathan had to face the truth. Duke wouldn’t wake up again and everything that Nathan could feel in regard to him was what he never wanted to feel.

“Audrey?” It came quietly over his lips. He didn’t know where she sat, had he concentrated all his attention on Duke. Was she sitting on the other side of Duke or maybe next to him? It didn’t matter, short after he asked for her she was there, her hand on his arm, laying her head onto his shoulder, snuggling on to him.

“I know,” she whispered and Nathan finally felt how tears were filling his eyes after hearing her broken voice.

“He is so cold.” Nathan believed that he would never be able to forget this. Duke’s cold body being the first thing he felt after so many years. Audrey laid her hand on Nathan’s which was still clinging to Duke’s shirt. “It was me.” The realization hit him suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“The man in the vision of Duke’s death. It was me after all.” There was a time where Nathan actually wanted to be this man. He got this tattoo to have the chance to be on the list of people who would cause Duke’s death. He did it because he didn’t trust Duke and wanted to make sure that he could protect the town from him. It only took several months until Nathan wished he could undo this because he would never want to kill Duke but the tattoo remained. He thought it didn’t matter after all. Nathan was convinced that it wouldn’t be him so it didn’t matter. But would have Duke survived this day if he had got rid of his tattoo? No one else of the Guard was near this scene. There was only him. “I killed him.”

“No!” Audrey gently turned his head towards her and was caressing with her thumb over his cheek. “No, you didn’t, Nathan. It was his choice!”

Duke’s choice, not his or Audrey’s. That sounded quite familiar. “But if I hadn’t reached out for him-“

“Don’t do this to yourself, Nathan.” Audrey was shaking his head, tears running down her cheek. “You know, he was so terrified about this vision. To die by the hand of someone he doesn’t know, all alone. I think he was grateful that in the end it turned out to be like this. It being you, not killing him, but being with him, comforting him.”

Nathan pulled her closer into a hug, burying his head in her neck.

“I will miss him too,” she said although Nathan didn’t say anything at all. Audrey always understood him even without words. So did Duke although they very often communicated through their fists and Nathan wished he could have done more to fix everything that went wrong between them. But now it was too late. Duke was gone and Nathan and Audrey were all alone, having to guard a town that almost ripped itself apart.

It wouldn’t be the same without Duke.

It would never feel whole again.


End file.
